Mining machine



Aug. 9, 1932. F. A. LINDGREN MINING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 31. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 9, 1932. F. A. LINDGREN 1,871,186

MINING'MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 31. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 9, 1932 car s'ra'rss FRANK A. LINDGREN, OF WESTERN SPRINGS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GOODMAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS MINING MACHINE Application filed December 31, 1927, Serial No. 243,846. Renewed. January 30, 1931.

The invention herein described is'especially adapted to machines of the overcutting or slabbing type which are more particularly used in cutting slate or dirt bands in the coal face. This slate mixes with the coal and causes great trouble and expense in that it has to be removed by hand either at the mine face or outside at the tipple. My invention eliminates this hand operation and provides a means to gather these cuttings and. convey them to a po nt remote from the face of the coal.

My invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

- Figure 1 is a top plan View of the device embodied in my invention with the cutting element at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the truck and with parts broken away to more clearly show my invention; and

Figure 2 is a front end view ofthe device shown in Figure 1 with parts broken away and in section to more clearly show my invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it may be seen that the device embodying my invention is applied to a mining machine of the well known o-vercutting or slabbing type, and comprises means for gathering and conveying the cuttings away from saio machine and depositing said cuttings on the mine floor remote from the face, in the gob or in any suitable receiving device.

The mining machine 10 comprises a truck 11 supported on axles 12and wheels 13. An auxiliary supporting frame 1 1 is mounted for rotation near the forward portion of the truck 11 and has suitable means thereon for supporting a cutting element 16. Herein said supporting means comprising a plurality of supporting arms 17, 1?, having racks 18, 18, thereon. Pinions 19, 19, on the cutting element 16 mesh in the racks 18. These pinions are connectible with a motor 20 on said cutting element through any suitable gearing means (whichneed not herein be described since it is no part of my invention) for vertically moving said cutting element in the racks 18 to provide a means for cutting at a plurality of Vertical heights. The supporting frame 14 is also rotated by a suitable gear reduction means from a motor 21 on the rearward portion of the truck portion 11 in the well known manner of machines of this type. Therefore, when the frame 14: is rotated, the cutting element 16 is moved in an are which in turn provides a means for sumping a cutter bar 22 having'a cutter chain 23 thereon into the coal for cutting said coal.

Referring now more particularly to the novel features of my invention, cuttings gathering and conveying means are provided for the cutting element 16 to gather the cuttings discharged from the cutter chain while said cutting element is cutting a kerf along a mine wall, and discharge said cuttings beyond the machine into the gob or into any suitable receiving device. To accomplish this, a conveyor 25 is suspended beneath the cutting element 16 between the supporting arms 17 and in line with the cutter bar 22. Said conveyor extends from the rearward portion of the cutting element forward along the cutter bar for aportion of its length and has a cuttings gathering chute 26 on its forward portion extending upwardly to the cutter bar and above the sides of said cutter bar to guide the cuttings discharged from the cutter chain into the conveyor 25.

It may here be noted that the conveyor 25 projects beyond the sides of the truck 11 to discharge material. beyond said truck into the gob or any material receiving device only when the cutting element is at right angles to the truck and the machine is cutting along the face of the coal.

The conveyor 25 may be of any type or design but is herein shown as a continuous belt conveyorof a type well known in the art. Said conveyor is suspended from the cutting element 16 by means of brackets 28, 28, which depends from said cut-ting element and are fastened to sides '29, 29, of the conveyor 25. An electric motor 30 fixed to the bottom portion of the cutter chain driving motor 20 is provided to operate the conveyor 25. Said motor is operatively connected to said conveyor through a motor pinion 31 which drives a spur gear 32 keyed to a shaft 33.

The shaft 33 has a pinion 34 keyed to its opposite end which drives a spur gear 35 which has operative connection with a conveyor belt 36 to drive said conveyor belt in the usual manner.

The cuttings gathering chute 26 is mounted on the sides 29 of the conveyor 25 so as to have limited sliding movement thereon.

Supporting members 37 extend, rearwardly from the cuttings gathering chute 26 along the top portion of the conveyor sides 29 to support said cuttings gathering chute on'the conveyor 25.

Guide means are provided to align the supporting members 37 with the sides 29 of the conveyor 25 and keep said members in alignment with said sides while moving longitudinally thereon. Said means herein shown comprises a rod 40 on each outer side of the conveyor 25. Said rods extend longitudinally of said conveyor from supporting members 41 adjacent the forward supporting arms 17 of the cutting element 16 forwardly to members 42 adjacent the forward end of the conveyor 25. Members 43, 43, and 44, 44, are slidable on said rods and project upwardly to the cuttings gathering chute supporting members 37 and are fixed thereto.

The purpose of movably mounting the cuttings gathering chute 26 on the conveyor 25 is to allow said chute to move rearwardly on the conveyor when irregularities are encountered on the mine wall to prevent injury to said cuttings gathering chute. It may therefore be seen that it is also necessary that a means be provided to return said chute to its forward position on the conveyor 25 after this irregularity has been passed over; and to keep the cuttings gathering chute as far forward on the conveyor as possible at all times during the cutting across a face. Said means comprises a tension spring 46 attached to the fixed member 42 at one end and the movable member 43 at its opposite end to tend to pull the member 43 and cuttings gathering chute 26 forwardly onthe conveyor 25 at all times.

The upper forward portion of the cuttings gathering chute 26 extends forwardly in a plane parallel to the path of the cutter chain and directly beneath the path of the cutter bits. Means are provided on the aforementioned forward portion of the cuttings gathering chute 26 to bear against the face of the coal as the cutting element is cutting across the face of the coal and take care of the rough uneven surfaces on the face of the coal. A yieldable transversely extending material engaging means 47 is herein used for this purpose. Said yieldable material engaging means comprises two material engaging elements 48 pivotally mounted on their inner end near the longitudinal central portion of the forward portion of the cuttings gathering chute 26. Rods 49 are threaded into members 50 which are pivotally connected to the rearward portion of the material engaging elements 46 near the outer end thereof. Said rods extend rearwardly along the chute 26 to angle brackets 51 extending outwardly from each side of the cuttings gathering chute 26 and pass through said angle brackets. Heads 52 are provided for each of said rods and bear against the opposite sides of said angle brackets to limit the'outward movement of the material engaging elements 48. Slots 53 are provided in the chute 26 to receive the material engaging elements 48. A spring 54 is mounted on each rod 49 and is interposed between the member 50 and the forward portion of the angle bracket 51 to force the material engaging elements 48 against the face of the coal at all times during cutting.

It may here be seen that as the entire mining machine is moving parallel to the mine wall and the cutting element is cutting a kerf therein that the springs 46 and 54 engage the cuttings gathering chute 26 with the mine wall and when any irregularity in the face of the coal is encountered the material engaging elements 48 will yield totheir limit when the entire cuttings gathering chute 26 will be moved rearwardly along the conveyor 25, and that when said obstruction or irregularity has been passed over said material engaging elements will still be in contact with the face of the coal and the cuttings gathering chute 26 will be returned to its normal forward position on the conveyor 25. I

From this description it may be seen that my invention comprises a cutting machine of the slabbing or overcutting type having incorporated therewith a means to catch and discharge said cuttings into the gob or load said cut-tings into any suitable receptacle. Said invention is especially adapted for use in cutting dirt hands out of coal. The cutter chain 23 on the cutter bar 22 cuts into the dirt band and expels said dirt from the kerf formed by said cutter chain. his dirt is caught-in the cuttin s gathering chute 26 and emptied into the conveyor 25 which deposits these cuttings into the gob or any suitable receiving device. It may therefore be seen that my invention provides a simple means of separating the dirt from the coal and conveying said dirt away from the face of the coal. It may also be seen that my invention is as adaptable and useful in loading the slack coal cuttings into a suitable receiving device, as for loading dirt.

Although I have shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore I do not wish to be construed as limiting, myself to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited by the appended claims} I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a kerf cutting mining machine, a truck, a cutting element arcuately movable with respect to said truck, a cutter bar extending longitudinally forward from said cutting element and adapt able to cut a horizontal kerf in a mine Wall, conveying means suspended beneath said cutting element extending along said cutter bar for a portion of its length and rearwardly to the rearward extremities of said cutting element and beyond said truck when said cut ting element is positioned transversely of said truck, a cuttings gathering chute yieldably mounted on said conveying element near the forward end thereof extending upwardly beneath and above the sides of said cutter bar, and yieldable material engaging means on the forward end of said cuttings gathering chute.

2. In combination with a kerf cutting mining machine, a cutting element adaptable to cut a horizontal kerf in a mine wall, a longitudinally extending conveyor suspended beneath said cutting element, a cuttings gathering chute supported on said conveyor for limited reciprocab-le movement thereon and extending upwardly from said conveyor to said cutting element and having yieldable material engaging means on the forward portion thereof, said cuttings gathering chute also including longitudinally extending supporting members having aligning members depending therefrom and guide members attached to the sides of said conveyor and passing through said aligning members to allow said aligning members to slidably move thereon, and yieldable means attached to said aligning members and said conveyor to tend to keep said chute in a forward position on said conveyor. 7

3. In combination with a kerf cutting mining machine, a main frame, a cutting element arcuately movable with respect thereto to cut a horizontal kerf in a mine wall including a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, a longitudinally extending conveyor suspended beneath said cutting element and movable therewith, and a cuttingsgathering chute yieldably supported on said conveyor and extending fromsaid conveyor upwardly beneath and above the sides of said cutter bar.

4. In combination with a kerf cutting n1ining machine, a main frame, a cutting element arcuately movable with respect thereto to cut a horizontal kerf in a mine wall including a cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, a longitudinally extending conveyor beneath said cutting element and movable therewith extending along said cutter bar for a portion of its length and rearwardly near the rearward extremity of said cutting element, a cuttings gathering chute yieldably supported for reciprocable movement on said longitudinally extending conveyor and extending upwardly from said conveyor to said cutter bar.

5. In combination with a kerf cutting miningmachine, a truck, a turntable thereon, a cutting element on said turntable adaptable to cut ahorizontal kerf in a mine wall and vertically movable with respect thereto including a horizontally disposed cutterjbar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, a conveyor suspended beneath said cutting element and movable therewith, and a cuttings gathering chute yieldably supported on said conveyor and extending upwardly from said conveyor to said cutter bar.

6. In combination with a kerf cutting mining machine, a truck, a turntable thereon, a cutting element on said turntable and vertically movable with respect thereto including a horizontally disposed cutter bar adaptable to cut a horizontal kerf in a mine wall and having a cutter chain movable thereabout, a conveyor suspended beneath said cutting element and movable therewith, a cuttings gathering chute supported for limited reciprocable movement on said conveyor and extending upwardly to said cutter bar, and yieldable material engaging means on the forward end of said cuttings gathering chute.

7. In combination with a kerf cutting mining machine, a truck, a turntable thereon, a cutting element on said turntable adaptable to cut a horizontal kerf in a mine wall and vertically movable with respect thereto including a horizontally disposed cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, a longitudinally extending conveyor suspended beneath said cutting element and movable therewith extending along said cutter bar for a portion of its length and rearwardly near the rearward extremity of said cutting element, a cuttings gathering chute slidably supported forlimited reciprocable movement on said longitudinally extending conveyor, and extending'upwardly therefrom beneath and above the sides of said cutter bar and yieldable material engaging means on the forward portion of said cuttings gathering chute.

8. In combination with a kerf cutting mining machine, a truck, a turntable thereon, a cutting element on said turntable and vertically movable with respect thereto including a horizontally disposed cutter bar having a cutter chain movable thereabout, a longitudinally extending conveyor suspended beneath said cutting element and movable therewith extending along said cutter bar for a portion of its length and rearwardly near the rearward extremity of said cutting element, a cuttings gathering chute slidably supported for reciprocable movement on said longitudinally extending conveyor, said cuttings gathering chute extending upwardly from said conveyor zrio beneath and above the sides of said cutter bar and having a forward portion thereof engageable with a mine wall,and movable rearwardly along said conveyor upon engagement of said forward portion with irregularities in a mine wall, and yieldable means for moving said cuttings gathering chute forwardly along said conveyor.

9. In a mining machine, the combination of a truck, cutting mechanism including a projecting cutter bar mounted on said truck to turn bodily about a vertical axis, a conveyor carried by said cutting mechanism and extending beneath the same, and a cuttings deflecting chute extending upwardly from said conveyor and adapted for adjustable contact with the face of the mine wall beneath the cutter bar.

10. In a mining machine, the combination of a truck, cutting mechanism including a cutter bar mounted on said truck to turn about a vertical axis to cuta horizontal kerf in the face of a mine wall, a substantially horizontal conveyor depending from said cutting mechanism and extending beneath the same, and a cuttings deflecting member mounted for adjustable contact with the mine wall and extending from the same to said conveyor.

11. In a mining machine, the combination of a truck, cutting mechanism mounted on said truck to turn bodily about a vertical axis and including a cutter bar adapted to cut a horizontal kerf in the mine wall, a substantially horizontal conveyor depending from said cutting mechanism and extending beneath the same, and a cuttings deflecting member mounted on said conveyor and ex tending upwardly beneath said cutter bar for adjustable contact with the face of the mine wall.

12. In a mining machine, the combination of a truck, cutting mechanism mounted on said truck including a horizontally projecting cutter bar adapted to swing in an arcuate path to cut a kerf in the mine wall, a con veyor supported by said cutting mechanism and extending beneath the same, and a cuttings chute mounted at the forward end of said conveyor and extending upwardly for adjustable contact with the mine wall be neath the cutter bar.

13; In a mining machine, the combination of atruck, cutting mechanism mounted on said truck, including a horizontally projecting cutter bar adapted to swing in an arcuate path to cut a kerf in the mine wall, a conveyor supported by said cutting mechanism and extending beneath the same in alignment with said cutter bar, and a cuttings deflecting chute mounted for limited movement relative to said cutter bar and adapted for contact at its free edge with the face of the mine wall.

14. In a mining machine, the combination of a truck, a turntable mounted on said truck, cutting mechanism mounted on said turntable, including a cutter bar adapted to swing in an arcuate path to cut a horizontal kerf in the face of the mine wall, a belt con- I veyor depending from said cutting mechanism and extending beneath the same, and a cuttings deflecting chute mounted at the forward end of said conveyor for contact with the face of the mine wall beneath said cutter bar and adapted for a limited adjustment lengthwise thereof.

15.v In combination with a kerf cutting mining machine, a truck, a turntable thereon, a cutting element mounted on said turntable including a cutter chain carrying cutter bar adapted to cut a horizontal kerf in the mine wall, a conveyor extending longitudinally of and beneath said cutter bar and movable therewith,a cuttings gathering chute extending upwardly from said conveyor to a point beneath said cutter bar, and yieldable means for holding said cuttings gathering chute in contact with the face of the mine wall.

16. In combination with a kerf cutting mining machine, a truck, a turntable thereon, a cutting element mounted on said turntable including a cutter chain carrying outter bar adapted to cut a horizontal kerf in the mine wall, a conveyor extending longitudinally of and beneath said cutter bar and movable therewith, a cuttings gathering chute extending upwardly from said conveyor to a point beneath said cutter bar, yieldable means for holding said cuttings gathering chute in a position adjacent the forward end of said conveyor and yieldable material engaging means on the forward end of said cuttings gatheringchute adapted to engage the face of the coal during the cutting operation.

17. In combination with a kerf cutting mining machine, a truck, a turntable thereon, a cutting element mounted on said turntable for vertical movement with respect thereto including a cutter chain carrying cutter bar adapted to cut a horizontal kerf in the mine wall, a conveyor extending longitudinally of and beneath said cutter bar and movable therewith,acuttings gathering chute slidably movable with respect to said conveyor and extending upwardly from said conveyor adjacent the under side of said cutter bar, and yieldable means for holding said cuttings gathering chute in a position adjacent the forward end of said conveyor or allowing saidcuttings gathering chute to move rearwardly with respect to said conveyor upon engagement of said chute with the mine wall.

18. In combination with a kerf cutting mining machine, a truck, a turntable thereon, a cutting element mounted on said turntable including a cutter chain carrying cutter bar adapted to cut a horizontal kerf in the mine wall, a conveyor extending longitudinally of and beneath said cutter bar and movable therewith, a cuttings gathering chute slidably movable with respect to said conveyor and extending upwardly from said conveyor to a point beneath said cutter bar, yieldable means for holding said cuttings gathering chute in a position adjacent the forward end of said conveyor and yieldable material engaging means on the forward end of said chute adapted to engage the face of the coal during the cutting operation.

19. In combination with a kerf cutting mining machine, a truck, a turntable thereon, a cutting element mounted on said turntable for vertical movement with respect thereto including a cutter chain carrying cutter bar adapted to cut a horizontal kerf in the mine wall, a conveyor depending from said cutting element and movable therewith, a cuttings gathering chute extending upwardly from said conveyor adjacent said cutter bar and slidably movable with respect to said conveyor, and yieldable means for holding said cuttings gathering chute in a "forward position with respect tosaid conveyor or allowing said cuttings gathering chute to move rearwardly with respect to said conveyor upon engagement of said chute with the mine wall.

20. In combination with a kerf cutting mining machine, a truck, a turntable thereon, a cutting element mounted on said turntable including a cutter chain carrying outter bar adapted tocut a horizontal, kerf in the mine wall, a conveyor depending from said cutting element and movable therewith, a cuttings gathering chute extending from said conveyor to said cutter bar and slidably movable with respect to said conveyor, and yieldable means for holding said cuttings gathering chute in a position adjacent the forward end of said conveyor, and yieldable material engaging means on the forward end of said chute adapted to engage the face Y of the coal during the cutting operation.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 28th day of December, A. D. 1927.

FRANK A. LINDGREN. 

